Favorite Food
by adriadewinter
Summary: Emma starts planing what to eat when she gets home and inspires Mulan to do something for Aurora.


**Disclaimer: So I don't own any OUaT characters, but I'd like to! **

**Also, if you think I'm doing something really cool, or you just think its crap (oh heavens no she is ruining that character!) whatever, send me a message or review—I'd love to hear from any of you! Thanks for reading!—Adria**

Emma was the one who brought up food first that night as they all sat around the fire resting from the long day. Mulan, of course was sitting against a tree a bit further away having appointed herself the sentry, and Aurora, Emma, and Snow were sitting facing her direction. While they had plenty to eat, it wasn't… "up to par" with what Emma thought was "good" dining, and she started planning out future meals to air her complaints.

"Well, the first thing I'm eating when we get to Storybrook is a giant bar of dark chocolate followed swiftly by a glass of … milk!" she finished slowly, aware of Snow's disapproving eyes watching her. Snow sniffed and looked back down at the arrow she was fletching. "What? Don't tell me you're a _white_ chocolate person." Emma looked pleased with herself for a moment while Snow just rolled her eyes and replied.

"No, I just figured the first food you would eat would be something bigger, like a steak or a burger."

"I take it all back! Going to order everything off of the menu from Granny's _then_ I'll have the chocolate. What about you, Rory? Surely as Princess you got to eat a whole bunch of great food?" She ignored Snow's half snort-half laugh as she turned toward Aurora.

Aurora blushed at the use of her new nickname. Mulan had given it to her one day when they were watching one night, and it felt strange coming from Emma. "Honestly, I don't miss any of the big meals that I ate; instead I miss the simple meals my mother and I shared while I was young." She smiled softly and leaned back as Emma waited for her to continue. "We would go to our garden and pick our favorite fruits till we could hold no more, and then we sat by the lake to eat them together and talk. Even though my mother was busy so often, she never missed our time together and she always listened no matter what I said"

Emma smiled and Snow sniffed sadly saying "Aww Rose always was a sweet woman. I—" Both Snow and Aurora looked down, and Emma looked side to side in the awkward silence that followed.

"Well, uh Mom, what are you going to eat when you get back?" At this Snow looked back up, and her and Emma began to discuss foods—looking for parallels. Aurora looked over to where Mulan had been sitting to ask her something, anything really. She hadn't talked to her all day and just wanted to hear her talk for some reason, so when she saw the warrior was missing she sprang to her feet. "Where is Mulan? Snow she's not here, we have to find her! What if Cora's men took her?"

Emma looked up calmly, not even shifting her position, and Snow countered "Calm down Aurora. She is probably just doing rounds; relax a bit, she should be right back." Aurora went over to where Mulan had been sitting, and Emma resumed her conversation with Snow.

Despite knowing that Snow was a capable warrior and even if Emma wasn't trained she was just as fierce, Aurora still could not shake her worry. She'd noticed from the day Phillip had awoken her that she always felt safer with Mulan around, and Aurora searched uneasily hoping that Mulan would return soon. She was about to get up and insist they look for the warrior when she heard a soft voice to her left and she spun around to see Mulan holding out a cloth filled with blueberries.

"Rory? I heard you and Emma talking, and um, I know it's been hard on you especially with Phillip gone, so I brought you some blueberries that I spotted on a ridge earlier. I know it's not much or what you are used to, but…" She blushed not knowing how to continue. "Here, just take them," and she turned to walk away.

"Mulan, wait! Please stay and eat them with me. It won't feel right by myself." She patted the ground to her right and Mulan, after a moment's hesitation sat down next to her. Aurora had never felt quite like this before; so happy, yet at the same time so nervous she could not sit still. Finally, "Thank you Mulan, for the berries. I…It really…''

The warrior cut her off, "Don't, there is no need to thank me. It was my pleasure," She paused and grinned, "_Rory_." Aurora gave her a playful shove on the shoulder and set the berries between them. Both ate in silence for a few moments—wanting to talk, but not knowing what to say.

A snap broke the silence, and Mulan's hand went straight to her sword while instinctively Aurora took Mulan's hand. She was halfway to standing when Aurora pulled her back down. "Look, it's just Snow and Emma moving around, although. Why do you think they are sneaking like that?" She frowned a little at the thought, then realizing she still held Mulan's hand she began to pull hers away as Mulan looked down at her. Instead of pulling her hand away as well, Mulan laced her fingers through Aurora's saying quietly "You can leave it you know, if you wish." As Mulan sat down, she realized she had never seen such a beautiful smile as Aurora was wearing now.

Taking advantage of the moment, Aurora snuggled into Mulan's side looking up for approval only to have her wrap her arm around her and pull her closer. As they finished the berries, Mulan's arm tightened around Aurora until the princess fell asleep and Mulan carried her to the tent. She got up as if to sleep somewhere else, but decided against it anad wrapped her arm over Aurora protectively as she too fell asleep.

Snow and Emma peeked around the tree they had been hiding behind during this, and Emma turned to Snow triumphantly "Told you."

_Fin._


End file.
